The dedication ceremony includes traditional presentations by various parishes and entertainment to be provided by the Catholic college students at the Tofamamao Pastoral Centre, Leauva'a.

Built by Father Ricky Bernard and a team of local builders, the project relied on the financial support of the church members.

Bernard worked together with other designers who are based overseas in the final design.

He says lot of the influence of the final design comes from what he has seen and documented in photographs he took of churches and medieval buildings he has seen in Europe.

Bernard comes from a family of carpenters and his late father is well known to have made altars with significant carvings of Samoan and biblical images and references.

Fr Ricky has built Catholic churches in the villages he has served in the past and once built a long boat for the youth of a village he served at Malotau on the western side of Upolu island.

"Believing in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is my source of knowledge of building churches and this cathedral and becoming a carpenter," he said.

Source

• Talamua
• Talamua
• Image: Talamua

Announcing the dedication ceremony on the church TV, Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga thanked the church members for their continuing support in building the church.

Leading the list of overseas guests is the Popes representative in the Pacific, Archbishop Martin Krebs who is based in Wellington, New Zealand.

Built by Father Ricky Bernard and a team of local builders, the project relied on the financial support of the church members.

The dedication ceremony includes traditional presentations by various parishes and entertainment to be provided by the Catholic college students at the Tofamamao Pastoral Centre, Leauva'a.

Source

• Talamua
• Image: Talamua.com

The Church's media spokesperson, Father Ioane Ono, confirmed this when contacted by the Samoa Observer.

Ono said while he knew prisoners had assisted with the demolition of the old Cathedral, he was unaware they were being used to help with its construction of its replacement until Father Ricky Bernard told about it after he, Ono, had been leading a service at Mulivai a while ago.

Bernard, according to Ono, is the leading carpenter at the project.

"I am not sure what has been worked out between Father Bernard and the prison," he said. "All I knew was they were helping."

He said the prisoners were only on the Church grounds on Saturday - and they assist Fr. Bernard from morning until afternoon.

He dismissed questions about the safety of members of the public and the risk of prisoners running away.

He said when the prisoners are at the Cathedral they are accompanied by Police officers.

Source

• Samoa Observer
• Image: Facebook